Fans of the soap watched as Hayley, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, decided that she would rather take her own life than wait to die from terminal cancer.

But The Samaritans, which advised the producers on the storyline, warned Hayley's death from a drugs overdose could cause a risk of copycat suicides.

A spokeswoman said: "We want to limit the risk of copycat suicides.

"That is why we advised them to give no details of the medication or how she obtained the drugs.

"Portraying an overdose, for example, as a gentle and peaceful way to die, can be very dangerous and bears no resemblance to the reality of slow liver failure afterwards."

HARROWING: The storyline is one of the darkest in Coronation Street's history [ITV]

“We want to limit the risk of copycat suicides”

The Samaritans

The spokeswoman said that they couldn't stop show bosses from pushing ahead with the story, adding to The Daily Mirror: "We might not agree, but dramas all, at some point, cover these issues."

A Coronation Street producer admitted that the storyline is a sensitive one, but they will "explore both sides of the debate".

Stuart Blackburn said: "This is a very sensitive issue and we will be exploring the effects of her decision on husband Roy who has a huge emotional and moral dilemma over her choice to die this way.

"Not everyone will feel Hayley's decision is the right one and we fully respect this, for that reason we will be exploring both sides of the debate on screen."

Hayley's death will be screened over two episodes next Monday and Hesmondhalgh, who filmed the scene in one take with on-screen husband David Neilson, said there was "an almost holy atmosphere" during filming.

EMOTIONAL: Hayley's final scenes will air next Monday [ITV]

She said: "It didn't seem like I was watching anything to do with me at all, it was just these two characters that I really loved and seeing the end of their love story, oh yeah there were tears.

"My husband was absolutely devastated...

"The way it had been directed was very carefully done. There was an almost holy atmosphere on set and we only did one take.

"Kay Patrick, the director, made sure that everything was in place before we went for it so we weren't having to keep doing it over and over which is why it's quite raw I think."

Hesmondhalgh has now called for a debate on the issue of assisted dying in the wake of the plot.